Study: Atheists More Driven by Compassion than Highly Religious People

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Study: Atheists More Driven by Compassion than Highly Religious People

Source: Raw Story

Study: Atheists more driven by compassion than highly religious people

By David Edwards
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 16:17 EDT

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Research from University of California, Berkeley published in the most recent edition of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science found a stronger link between compassion and generosity among non-religious or less religious people.

“Overall, we find that for less religious people, the strength of their emotional connection to another person is critical to whether they will help that person or not,” UC Berkeley social psychologist and study co-author Robb Willer explained. “The more religious, on the other hand, may ground their generosity less in emotion, and more in other factors such as doctrine, a communal identity, or reputational concerns.”

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“These findings indicate that although compassion is associated with pro-sociality among both less religious and more religious individuals, this relationship is particularly robust for less religious individuals,” the study said.

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“Overall, this research suggests that although less religious people tend to be less trusted in the U.S., when feeling compassionate, they may actually be more inclined to help their fellow citizens than more religious people,” Willer concluded.

So, in other words the non religious liberals are willing to help those they know personally and they are willing to throw money at programs that DO NOT work....so that they can pat themselves on the back and tell themselves how generous and compassionate they are.

Religious people look at the individuals needs or what the program is about, how well it works and it's outcome based on their values and beliefs and then decide whether to help or support it financially.

But it's the less religious people which mostly by definition are liberals who are "compassionate" all the while keeping people helpless and dependent on the government.

In other words the leftist researchers decided how they were going to define "compassion", and decided that the way less religious people (and mostly democrats) acted was "more compassionate" than religious people.

Namvet67 (88 posts)
2. Absolutely....driven by real altruism and empathy, not by fear and browbeatings

More open-minded, better educated,certainly more rational. I would rather my daughter date an atheist any day.

Star Member Scuba (16,361 posts)
5. Surprises me not at all especially since ....

.... "highly religious" is often the same as "con artist".

Star Member rfranklin (11,800 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
7. Liberals see a poor or disabled person and say, "There but for the grace of God go I..."

Conservatives say, "God made me better because I am more deserving."

Star Member KansDem (21,764 posts)
8. I know atheists who are more "Christian"...

...than many Christians.

Star Member nobodyspecial (952 posts)
12. I'm one myself

People are often surprised that I have no belief in a deity. To me, it is the final stage in moral development. You are compassionate just for the sake of it, not because of fear of retribution or in hopes of a heavenly reward.

Studies like this are useless, considering a true practicing Christian, who studies the scriptures and tries to apply them to his or her daily life, is commanded to be humble about works and deeds of compassion.

Showing compassion for people isn't like a 1040 form, where you check off each good deed that you did, in order to cash in on your reward. If you are truly living the way Jesus calls his followers to live, than you probably don't even remember what your last compassionate act was because doing things like that has become part of your nature.